Projector and projecting member

ABSTRACT

In a sports and games apparatus comprising a throwing- and catching-rod having a handle at one of its ends, and a flying member therefor having a heavier end and a lighter end and means thereon which stabilizes the flight of said member, and having a plurality of arms which extend out from said lighter end approximately in the direction towards said heavier end; the said arms opening from the lighter end towards the heavier end of the flying member, so that the flying member may ride on the throwing rod with the point of attachment of each of the arms on said lighter end of said flying member in stable equilibrium.

Unlted States Patent [111 3,892,406 Baier 1 July 1, 1975 [54] PROJECTOR AND PROJECTING MEMBER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: .lurgen Georg Baier, Elisabethstr. 1978.915 3/1960 Germany 273/96 B 3/IV, 8 Munich 40 Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 21, 1974 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [2]] App! 453391 Attorney, Agent, or FirmHammond & Littell [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 7 ABSTRACT Mar. 28, 1973 Germany .4 2315548 In a Sports and games apparatus comprising a filmy ing and catching-rod having a handle at one of its [52] 273/96 273/106 32 ends, and a flying member therefor having a heavier [51] I t C A63) /40 end and a lighter end and means thereon which stabihzes the flight of said member, and having a plurality [58] F'eld Search 273/95 96 96 B5106 of arms which extend out from said lighter end ap- 27 I106 A proximately in the direction towards said heavier end; the said arms opening from the lighter end towards the [56] References C'ted heavier end of the flying member, so that the flying UNITED STATES PATENTS member may ride on the throwing rod with the point 645,919 3/1900 Holmes 273/106 A of attachment of each of the arms on said lighter end 1.253.772 1/ 918 Bertucci i 73/96 B of said flying member in stable equilibrium. 2,436,l74 2/1948 Myers t v 273/96 B 3,752,419 8/1973 Chung .i 273/106 A 36 Claims. 12 Dra ing Figures SHEET 2 .mmllillllllUNI/m,

PROJECTOR AND PROJECTING MEMBER STATE OF THE ART Sports and games apparatus is already known from German Utility Model No. l.778.l67. wherein the heavier end of a flying member is constituted by a ring which is connected. by means of three arms. with the lighter end of the flying member on which is secured a device which stabilizes the flight, for example. in the form of feathers. The throwing and catching-rod consists of a long straight floret-like rod with a handle which has. above the handle. a transverse arm similar to the hell of a floret or the hilt of a dagger. During play. the flying member comes flying towards the player. with the ring in front. and the player must catch it by making the tip of his catching rod pass into the ring. The transverse arm prevents the flying member from sliding beyond the handle. The catching rod is also used for throwing the flying member to the other player by means of a throwing movement.

This known sports and games apparatus has the disadvantages that the flying member can only be caught and held. in flight. with difficulty. Also. the flying member cannot be thrown very far. since the throwing rod is straight. lt is true that the flying member can be picked up from the ground with the throwing rod. However. since in most cases it will be lying on the ground with the ring facing downwards. it is not in a suitable position for being thrown with the rod.

A similar sports and games apparatus is known from German Patent Specification No. 1.078.915. wherein it was attempted to increase the throwing distance or flying distance of the flying member. Thus the guide vanes of the device. which stabilized its flight and which were secured directly on the weighting ring. were made radially movable so that during the flight of the flying member with the ring in front. these vanes closed beyond the initial position. due to air resistance. In this manner. the throwing distance was intended to be increased. This known games apparatus has the disadvantages that the flying member cannot be picked up from the ground. and the catching thereof by means of the catching rod is just as difficult as in the sports and games apparatus previously discussed above. Since the throwing rod is straight, and the flying member. when thrown. can only achieve a limited take-off speed. the throwing distance also cannot be substantially increased with this known game apparatus.

A game apparatus also is already known from German Utility Model No. l.785.968 wherein a simple ring is thrown from a rod which is substantially straight and which is provided with a handle. However. the rod. in the region ofits upper end. has an outward bulge which is curved in shape and is resilient. for the purpose of holding the ring in the region of the tip of the rod during throwing. thus enabling the throwing speed to be increased.

This known game apparatus has the disadvantages that the ring is already very difficult to catch. because it has no devices whatsoever to stabilize its flight. Also. the throwing process cannot be performed without difficulties; and thus it is not always successful. If the ring is missed. it always has to be picked up from the ground by hand and has to be inserted onto the throwing rod.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sports and games apparatus. wherein the flying member can be caught with the whole length of the throwingand catching-rod. and also can be picked up from the ground solely with the throwing rod. and comes automatically into the correct position for throwing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sports and games apparatus in which substantial throwing distances are achievable despite the stabilized flying position of the flying member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvement in a sports and games apparatus comprising a throwingand catching-rod which has a handle at one of its ends. and a flying member therefor which comprises a heavier end and a lighter end. and means thereon which stabilizes the flight of said member. and having arms which extend out from the lighter end and which point approximately in the direction towards the heavier end; wherein the improvement comprises said arms opening from said lighter end towards said heavier end of said flying member so that the flying member may ride on the throwing rod with the point of attachment of each of the arms on said lighter end of said flying member being in stable equilibrium.

These and further objects of the present invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to sports and games ap paratus comprising a throwingand catching-rod having a handle at one of its ends; and a flying member therefor having a heavier end and a lighter end and means thereon which stabilizes the flight of said member. and having a plurality of arms which extend out from the lighter end approximately in the direction towards the heavier end.

More particularly. the present invention is directed to an improvement in sports and games apparatus comprising a throwingand catching-rod having a handle at one of its ends. and a flying member therefor having a heavier end and a lighter end and means thereon which stabilizes the flight of said member. and having a plurality of arms which extend out from the lighter end approximately in the direction towards the heavier end. the said arms opening from said lighter end towards said heavier end of said flying member so that said flying member may ride on said throwing rod with the point of attachment of each of the arms on said lighter end of said flying member in stable equilibrium.

The advantages of the sports and games apparatus of the present invention are as follows. A sports and games apparatus is produced whose flying member can be caught anywhere along the whole length of the throwing and catching-rod except for the handle. and then thrown again. Thus. there is a very great certainty that the player can hold onto the flying member after it has been caught. After the flying member has been thrown by a player. and due to the opened arms of the flying member. which point forward during its entire flight. the flying member and/or the point of attachment of its arms at the lighter end of the flying member are always guided onto the catching-rod. This guiding occurs just as soon as any region. at all. of the rod meets the polygon formed by the outstretched ends of the arms. Furthermore if the flying member is missed while in flight. the flying member. irrespectively of its position on the ground. can be picked up at any time with the throwing and catching-rod without the player needing to use his other hand. In addition. if it is so desired, the flying member can be picked up and thrown back to the other player all in one movement.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention. the throwing rod is thin. smooth, and substantially curved in one direction, so that when it is moved forward in the plane of its curvature for performing the throwing movement. it imparts an increased speed to the flying member which slides along at the point of attachment of its arms on the throwing-rod towards the tip thereof when thrown.

The sports and games apparatus of the invention is suitable for one or more persons, Each player receives a throwingand catching-rod with which he can catch the flying member and then throw it again. Since the flying member always flies with the ends of the opened arms in front, the player. when catching the flying member. must make some region of the whole length of the rod pass between these arms. In this manner, the flying member can be thrown to and fro or vertically into the air. The least possible number of the arms of the flying member is two, although with only two arms it is difficult to catch a flying member depending on the flying position. Preferably, the flying member therefore has three arms, which constitute the most favorable number of arms; moreover it is possible to have more than three arms, although more than three are not required.

According to another embodiment, the invention is constructed such that the game is played mainly as a hitting game. For this purpose, the point of attachment of the arms to the flying member is constructed so as to be impact-resistant. The flying member, as a whole, is ofa more robust construction; and the throwingand catching-rod is made of heavy material, and its center of gravity lies more toward the top of the throwing rod located opposite to the handle. For instance, the point of attachment may consist, for example, of hard resilient rubber; and the material of the throwing rod may consist of heavy synthetic plastic material, hard heavy wood, etc. When the sports and games apparatus according to the invention is used as a hitting game, the flying member is hit with the throwing rod; and its point of attachment receives the impact. Thus the flying member is accelerated and is directed into another direction.

Further details of the invention can be seen from the following drawings which are not to be deemed limitative in any manner thereof as follows:

FIG. I shows a perspective view of a flying member resting on a catching rod;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the flying member, without the catching rod;

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a catching rod;

FIGS. 4 to 8 show different embodiments of flying members; and

FIGS. 9 to 12 show different embodiments of throwingand catching-rods,

The same reference numerals are used consistently throughout the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a flying member 10 of the invention in the preferred embodiment with three arms 11 whose ends 12 are heavier than the remaining part of the arms ll, and optionally are weighted by weights, The arms 11 are connected together at a point of attachment l3, and from there they merge into the lighter end of the flying member 10. The lighter end of the flying member 10 furthermore carries, in the illustrated embodiment, a device which stabilizes the flight, for example, feathers. However, this device may be constructed according to a number of other equivalent embodiments, and may consist of different materials, for example. feathers, paper, plastic material. etc. This device 14, which stabilizes the flight, causes the flying member [0 in flight always to have the tendency to fly with the opened arms 11, and/or the ends 12 thereof, facing forward; that is, facing toward its eventual destination. This prevents the flying member from rotating about its transverse axis during the flight.

In the illustrated embodiment, the arms 1], which extend out from the point of attachment l3, diverge away from one another from the point of attachment 13. They may have any other equivalent profile and shape, for example. they may also extend parallel to one another. However it is especially preferable that the flying member as illustrated in the position shown in FIG. 1, have the point of attachment l3 lying above the center of gravity so that the flying member 10 rides on the catchingand throwing-rod without falling off. Of course. forms of arms are preferred which ensure an increased certainty of holding during the throwing and catching of the flying member 10 with the catchingand throwing-rod 15. The flying member as a whole may be made of any suitable material. for example wood, synthetic plastic material, rubber, or the like, and/or combinations thereof. The important feature is that the weight distribution shall be of such a nature that the center of gravity of the flying member 10. during its flight. is located as far forward as possible; i.e. in the direction of flight.

The point of attachment 13 of the arms ll on the flying member 10 may also be constructed so as to be strongly resilient, for example. by means of having rub ber strips or a rubber diaphragm stretched thereover, This permits the most resilient possible impact when the flying member 10 rebounds from the rod 15, and to at least partially exploit the kinetic energy of the arriv ing flying member 10 for the subsequent throwing process with the throwing-rod 15. However, the point of attachment 13 (if a sliding thereof on the throwing and catching-rod I5 is intended to be avoided) may also be made, for example, of soft and rather sticky rubber. Preferably it is quite smooth, for example made of a hard synthetic plastic material.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the throwingand catching-rod 15 of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, moreover. it is a thin smooth relatively rigid rod which is substantially curved in one direction or plane, and which has a handle 17. The throwingand catching-rod in this embodiment allows the flying member 10. with its point of attachment 13, which like wise is of smooth construction, to slide along thereon. Thus, with its curvature. the rod 15 imparts to the flying member 10 an increased throwing speed if the throwing rod 15, during the throwing process. has its tip and plane of curvature directed in the throwing direction.

However, other embodiments of the throwingand catching-rod 15 also are possible; for example, it may be straight, or resilient, or rough. Furthermore, for the embodiment as a hitting game, it may be constructed so as to be thicker and, in particular, heavier,

FIGS. 4 to 8 show other embodiments of the flying member of the sports and games apparatus of the in vention. FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the flying member already illustrated in detail in FIGS. I and 2. Here, the ends [2 of the arms 11 which are weighted with weights are shown thicker in comparison to the arms 11. The device 14 which stabilizes the flight is illustrated diagrammatically by lines. The point of attachment [3 of the arms 11 to one another and/or to the flying member 10 is seen tobe the connecting point of the arms 11.

Accordingly, FIG. 5 shows a flying member 10 which only differs from the flying member 10 according to FIG. 4 by the arrangement of the device 14 which stabilizes the flight. Here. the device 14, which stabilizes the flight, is attached laterally onto the arms 11. The number of the arms is three, as is also shown in FIG. 4. However. it would also be possible to have more arms. The point of attachment 13 of the arms to one another lies. in this embodiment, still within the device 14 of the flying member 10 which stabilizes its flight. Thus, the center of gravity of the whole flying member I0 is still further remote from the point of attachment 13.

FIG. 6 shows a flying member 10 wherein only one of the arms 11 carries a weight at its end 12. The arm 11 which carries the weight is somewhat longer than the other arms. In this embodiment of the flying member 10, the device which stabilizes the flight is located rearwardly of and is connected to the point of attachment 13. The flying member 10, as shown, has four arms 11.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the flying member corresponding to FIG. 6, but with the device 14, which stabilizes the flight, arranged on the sides.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the flying member 10, with several arms 11 which extend out from the lighter end of the flying member H] but which carry no weight. Consequently. there exist several points of attachment I3, namely a point of attachment I3 for each of the arms 11, at the lighter end of the flying member 10. The weight is located at the heavy end l2 of the flying member 10, which likewise is formed from a rod-like construction. This device 14 which stabilizes the flight is in this embodiment arranged laterally on the arms ll, but it may also be located in the middle.

FIGS. 9 to l2 show different embodiments of the throwingand catching-rod 15.

FIG. 9 shows a throwingand catching-rod 15 which is curved in one plane with a handle 17, the material of which may vary from very resilient up to rigid. In this embodiment. the curvature is such that it is essentially only present at the upper end, or tip of the rod. so that the end also could be designated as a hook. The throwingand catching-rod also may have several of these hooks.

FIG. 10 shows a throwingand catching-rod 15, which essentially also is constructed as in FIG. 9, but wherein the entire rod has a curvature. The rod. again. may have one or more hooks at the upper end.

FIG. I 1 shows a throwingand catching-rod 15 which is curved at two places, but which otherwise is constructed in the same manner as the embodiments according to FIGS. 9 and 10.

The catching rod also. however. may be constructed in a corrugated form in order, if desired. to avoid a slipping of the flying member on the throwingand catching-rod 15. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 12, wherein, for simplification the handle has been omitted. In order to prevent slipping, the throwingand catching-rod also may have small knobs, notches, or the like thereon.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a few preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the new invention. All of these variations and modifications are considered to be within the true spirit and scope of the present invention as disclosed in the foregoing description and defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sport and games apparatus comprising a throwing and catching-rod having a handle at one of its ends, and a flying member therefor having a longitudinal axis, said flying member including a heavier end and a lighter end disposed at opposite extremities of said axis, means on said lighter end stabilizing the flight of said member, said heavier end including a plurality of arms which extend out from said lighter end generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the said arms opening from said lighter end towards said heavier end of said flying member so that said flying member can ride on said throwing rod with the point of attachment of each of said arms on said lighter end of said flying member in stable equilibrium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said arms extend out from a common point of attachment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said arms are directed approximately parallel to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said arms diverge apart from one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said flying member has three arms.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said heavier end of one arm comprises a weight.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the heavier end of each of said arms comprises a weight.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the point of attachment of each of said arms comprises a very resilient material at the lighter end of said flying member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which a resilient rubber material is stretched over the point of attachment.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said point of attachment of each of said arms comprises impact resistant material at the lighter end of said flying member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the flying member comprises hard resilient rubber at the point of attachment.

]2. The apparatus of claim 10, in which said throwing rod is constructed as a hitting rod with the center of gravity displaced away from said handle towards the tip at the other end thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, in which said hitting rod is made of heavy material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which said heavy material is heavy synthetic plastic material.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, in which said heavy material is heavy wood.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said throwing rod is thin. smooth, and substantially curved in one direction at least along a section thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the said throwing rod has a tip and is only curved in the region of the tip which is remote from the handle.

18. The apparatus of claim X7, in which said throwing rod has several curved tips.

19. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said throwing rod is of such construction that slipping of the flying member thereon is prevented.

20. The apparatus of claim 1. in which said arms are directed approximately parallel to one another.

21. The apparatus of claim l, in which said arms diverge apart from one another.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said flying member has three arms.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said heavier end of one arm comprises a weight.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the heavier end of each of said arms comprises a weight.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the point of attachment of each of said arms comprises a very resil ient material at the lighter end of said flying member.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, in which a resilient rubber material is streched over the point of attachment.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said point of attachment of each of said arms comprises impact resistant material at the lighter end of said flying member.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the flying member comprises hard resilient rubber at the point of attachment.

29. The apparatus ofclaim 27. in which said throwing rod is constructed as a hitting rod with the center of gravity displaced away from said handle towards the tip at the other end thereof.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, in which said hitting rod is made of heavy material.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, in which said heavy material is heavy synthetic plastic material.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, in which said heavy material is heavy wood.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said throwing rod is thin, smooth. and substantially curved in one direction at least along a section thereof.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, in which the said throwing rod has a tip and is only curved in the region of the tip which is remote from the handle.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, in which said throwing rod has several curved tips.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said throwing rod is of such construction that slipping of the flying member thereon is preventedv 

1. A sport and games apparatus comprising a throwing and catching-rod having a handle at one of its ends, and a flying member therefor having a longitudinal axis, said flying member including a heavier end and a lighter end disposed at opposite extremities of said axis, means on said lighter end stabilizing the flight of said member, said heavier end including a plurality of arms which extend out from said lighter end generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the said arms opening from said lighter end towards said heavier end of said flying member so that said flying member can ride on said throwing rod with the point of attachment of each of said arms on said lighter end of said flying member in stable equilibrium.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said arms extend out from a common point of attachment.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said arms are directed approximately parallel to one another.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said arms diverge apart from one another.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said flying member has three arms.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said heavier end of one arm comprises a weIght.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the heavier end of each of said arms comprises a weight.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the point of attachment of each of said arms comprises a very resilient material at the lighter end of said flying member.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which a resilient rubber material is stretched over the point of attachment.
 10. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said point of attachment of each of said arms comprises impact resistant material at the lighter end of said flying member.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the flying member comprises hard resilient rubber at the point of attachment.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, in which said throwing rod is constructed as a hitting rod with the center of gravity displaced away from said handle towards the tip at the other end thereof.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, in which said hitting rod is made of heavy material.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which said heavy material is heavy synthetic plastic material.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, in which said heavy material is heavy wood.
 16. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said throwing rod is thin, smooth, and substantially curved in one direction at least along a section thereof.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the said throwing rod has a tip and is only curved in the region of the tip which is remote from the handle.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, in which said throwing rod has several curved tips.
 19. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said throwing rod is of such construction that slipping of the flying member thereon is prevented.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said arms are directed approximately parallel to one another.
 21. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said arms diverge apart from one another.
 22. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said flying member has three arms.
 23. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said heavier end of one arm comprises a weight.
 24. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the heavier end of each of said arms comprises a weight.
 25. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the point of attachment of each of said arms comprises a very resilient material at the lighter end of said flying member.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25, in which a resilient rubber material is streched over the point of attachment.
 27. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said point of attachment of each of said arms comprises impact resistant material at the lighter end of said flying member.
 28. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the flying member comprises hard resilient rubber at the point of attachment.
 29. The apparatus of claim 27, in which said throwing rod is constructed as a hitting rod with the center of gravity displaced away from said handle towards the tip at the other end thereof.
 30. The apparatus of claim 29, in which said hitting rod is made of heavy material.
 31. The apparatus of claim 30, in which said heavy material is heavy synthetic plastic material.
 32. The apparatus of claim 30, in which said heavy material is heavy wood.
 33. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said throwing rod is thin, smooth, and substantially curved in one direction at least along a section thereof.
 34. The apparatus of claim 33, in which the said throwing rod has a tip and is only curved in the region of the tip which is remote from the handle.
 35. The apparatus of claim 34, in which said throwing rod has several curved tips.
 36. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said throwing rod is of such construction that slipping of the flying member thereon is prevented. 